Classical Studies 2900 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Satin, Uraeus, Diadem
23 Apr 2016
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Document Summary
Cleopatra in european art begins in the medieval period in france (1480/15th century). Cleopatra is repeatedly a blank slate where each generation can inscribe their own perspectives about her and rework her figure to match their own ideas of power and femininity. Most pictures depict either her death with antony (simultaneously, as well), or the scene where she dissolves a pearl: note that the pearl scene is often not as sexualized as the death scene. The pearl scene is a display of wealth and extravagance. There is a tradition for cleopatra to die by two snakes instead of one. They are also mostly depicted wearing 15th century costumes. Cleopatra also gets increasingly sexualized as the centuries go on: she becomes an excuse for painters to paint bare breasted young women (soft porn) because it was an acceptable topic, as it was classical . Cleopatra dying: bare breasted with two snakes to the nipples dies simultaneously with.
